1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of personal area networking and more particularly to a system and method for providing ASP services to wireless devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent times, the Internet has experienced phenomenal growth with more and more people accessing data and applications on the Internet through personal computers, and more recently, network computers. Historically, computing applications have been distributed as shrink-wrapped client applications. More recently, however, businesses have invested in Internet-distributed, Web-based applications, for instance Web-based customer relationship management (CRM) applications. An application service provider (ASP) is an entity that offers individuals and companies access to applications and related services over the Internet that would otherwise have to be located in their own personal or enterprise computers. Sometimes referred to as “apps-on-tap,” ASP services are an important alternative to traditionally distributed software, not only for smaller companies with low budgets for information technology, but also for larger companies as a form of outsourcing.
While ASP providers can provide applications and services to enterprises and individuals on a pay-per-use or subscription basis, larger entities can provide their own internal ASP service resulting in the movement of applications off personal computers and onto an application server designed to communicate with thin-client workstations. By employing an ASP architecture, enterprises can reassert central control over application cost and usage similar to the central control experience by enterprises prior to the advent of the personal computer during the era of the mainframe computer.
To date, the ASP architecture has not been employed as widely in the wireless arena as it has in the wire-line arena. Specifically, whereas client access to distributable applications is growing among traditional wire-line networked clients, client access has been limited for wireless devices, such as handheld computers. Recently, pervasive computing has suggested the distribution of data to wireless devices using conventional infrared communications technology. In terms of wire-bound, cable replacement, the infrared standard promulgated by the Infrared Data Association (IRDA) is well known and widespread. Though the IRDA promulgated standard is a fast wireless technology, the IRDA promulgated standard is limited to point-to-point connections and above all, infrared communications require a clear line-of-sight between an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter. Additionally, infrared communication technologies have experienced problems with incompatible standard implementations.
Recently, wireless phone service providers also have begun to provide wireless access to Internet distributed data through cellular communications links. Still, long-range radio communication technologies like cellular communications links can be expensive and power-consuming. Moreover, cellular transmitters and receivers require device housing space which can dramatically add to the overall size of a wireless device. Finally, long-range radio communications links can be limited in bandwidth. Hence, cellular technologies are not suitable for the distribution of applications from an ASP to pervasive computing devices such as handheld computers.
A new type of wireless connection has been introduced into the wireless market. Emerging standards for personal area networks (PANs), for instance the IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b and the BLUETOOTH (™) standard, enjoy a communications profile which is substantially different than the communications profile associated with cellular networks and infrared technologies. In particular, unlike cellular networks, PANs operate over a very limited local range. As an example, both BLUETOOTH and IEEE 802.11b operate in “piconets” having a normal range of ten (10) meters and a maximum range of approximately one-hundred (100) meters. IEEE 802.11a has a substantially greater range which exceeds 100 meters. Accordingly, short-range radio communication links lack the deficiencies of both infrared and cellular technologies which have limited the distribution of electronic services such as applications and data over wireless communications links.